I perfectly understand that preparing all the new core sim engine mechanics for gliders, thermals and helicopters for 40th anniversary was tremendous amount of work - thank you and well done!
Improving them for even greater realism should be top priority, but I also feel there could be more activities that make use of those new kind of “flyers” - I hope that in further updates the teams not working on core engine mechanics, but that are responsible for attractive content like challenges/activities/bush trips will be able to show off and exploit new possibilities that new gliders and helicopters offer.
As a RL glider pilot I can suggest some options that could be very easy to implement:
Gliding can be a fun and challenging competitive sport.
Simple timed glider ridge races can be implemented quite easily by simply reusing functionality of Maverick Low-Altitude Challenges (with time ranked leaderbord and ghosts) - I think it would be so awesome I added a separate wishlist item for it, this idea could be expanded to a full fledged multiplayer glider championships add on - just as gliders compete in RL.
But you can easily add other challenges:
- Bush glider flights - where you have to use all your learned skills from other challenges to find thermals to be able to finish longer distanced sections of the route - just like in RL cross-country soaring - sense of acheivement would be great and show who a good glider pilot is.
- the highest altitude acheived using ridge or thermal soaring in given time period - test your skill how well you can spot and use given kind of lift,
- in poor or worsening thermal conditions (like at the end of day) challenge for how long can someone still find last remains of lift and keep in the air and at the end still land safely at home airfield,
- in RL commonly organised challenges at the end of the season are precision of landing as measured by the distance from the wheel of the glider to designated bulls eye (using brakes prohibited), but at the same time without touching down before a designated beginning of arifield (carrier stern ?) marker - this is a great practice for outlanding safety in RL.
- glider final glide challenges - you start in air and have to find some lift to be saved to reach airfield safely - esp adrenaline-rising in mountainous area with no other spots to land.
I think such challenging activities with clearly set goal would help greatly people not accustomed with gliding to understand it better and learn it while having fun.
I bet there will be some helicopter pilots that can also suggest interesting and easy to implement challenges for helicopters - the obvious for me would be landings on oil rig or ships in difficult weather, canyon low alt or “city jungle” races
One again - I am all for concentrating for core engine die-hard realism (esp thermals need more realism, there are already posts about that), but for sure not all people can work on this highly specialized stuff - some activities are really low hanging fruit to add and would make difficult concepts like thermal weather and helicopter flight mechanics more enjoyable to learn for newbies.